​As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation, I cannot think of a better Scripture to embrace than Psalm 33:12. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance." (NKJV) Our nation has been blessed by God. This is so because our Founding Fathers honored and sought God. If we want that blessing to continue, we will need to welcome His presence.
 
May I suggest that the freedoms we enjoy are God-given but do not come without expectations. In fact, the story of the Israelites and their freedom from Egypt became an inspiration for our Founding Fathers. We can find the Ten Commandments, Scripture quotes, and artwork depicting Biblical scenes in our United States Capitol, the Supreme Court, federal buildings, and in many of our State Capitols. Our United States Constitution was modeled after Old Testament concepts of covenant with an agreement between the people and our government.
 
The Bible was the most important book in the founding of our nation and was used as a textbook in schools from elementary to college level. I ran across an interesting story about a Bible shortage in America during the War for Independence. A committee from the Continental Congress saw that the "Bible is so universal and its importance so great” that they recommended that the Committee of Commerce import 20,000 Bibles. The order was given on September 11, 1777. The Bibles were delivered to America with most of them coming from Holland and Scotland.
 
The citizens of the United States have a similar mandate to the Israelites who were set free to be a nation that shared the love of God with the world. The formation of our nation is rooted in Christianity. We share a moral framework and cultural inheritance with the Jewish people. Our founders, George Washington and John Adams, understood that a free government requires a morally and religiously guided populace. The Declaration of Independence draws on Biblical principles of justice and human worth, and the United States Constitution was modeled on Old Testament concepts of covenant.
 
I must express my concern for the road on which our nation is traveling. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, authored an article on June 20 entitled "If we Forget our Story, we Lose our Identity.” Our nation is rooted in Christianity, and the Bible is the foundational document of America. Tony writes, “As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity not merely to commemorate our history but to recover it.”
 
Benjamin Franklin made a statement that should make all of us stop and think about our heritage: "I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without His aid?" I think not. It is time for us to acknowledge our God-given heritage and to return to our Christian roots. The anti-Christian and anti-American sentiment that is rising in our nation will destroy it. Only God can restore us and set us back onto the right track. We must cry out to the Lord for national repentance and revival. 2 Chronicles 7:14 should be our mandate. "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Amen!

​Two hundred fifty years ago, on May 17, 1776, the second Continental Congress met to observe what was called "A Day of Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer." This nationwide event was meant to be a time to pray to God for forgiveness of sins, divine guidance, and wisdom. The day before the Congress had passed a resolution introduced by the delegate from New Jersey, William Livingstone. It asked citizens to "confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions" and to seek God's protection against the "hostile designs" of the British. On the anniversary of this event, President Trump planned a national prayer gathering to rededicate America as "One Nation Under God." Thousands of Americans gathered on the Mall in Washington D. C. to pray, worship, and give thanks to God. They were inspired by many of our nation's leaders and pastors as they remembered our history as a nation of faith and talked about defining moments in the forming of our country.
 
2 Chronicles 7:14 was read by our President: "If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear them from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." This is what the Lord said to Solomon on the night after he finished building the temple. He went on to say, "Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." (Verse 15) The web site established with the details for the day of rededication listed three "Pillars" for the speakers to include in their talks. Pillar #1 - "The Miracles that Made Us." (Honoring the faith of our founders and God's providence throughout 250 years.) Pillar #2 - "The Miracles Still in our Midst." (Personal testimonies of God's healing in our lives and for our land.) Pillar #3 - "A New Birth of Faith and Freedom." (Times of collective expression of gratitude for 250 years of freedom and ones to rededicate our nation, asking God's blessings, guidance, and grace for the next 250 years.)
 
TBN Network was present for the entire day and reported as different speakers and worship leaders took the stage. They commented that the Spirit of the Lord was tangible in that place. They also spoke of how blessed we are that the idea for the entire event was born from the top of our government. Below are some of the highlights of the event:
 
Pastor Samuel Rodriguez opened the rededication with a prayer to "remember and rededicate" our nation to God and to "reflect on history and realign our future." Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, commented that the soul of our nation has always been rooted in "an ancient faith." Pastor Franklin Graham reminded us that our nation was born in a struggle and continues to struggle today. He observed that there has been a moral decline, and there is little understanding of Biblical truth. We need to humbly pray, confess our sins and call on the name of Almighty God. Former HUD Secretary, Dr. Ben Carson, declared that our rights come from God. He sees that we have drifted away from common sense and must appeal to God for protection. Speaker of the House, Michael Johnson, offered a prayer as he rededicated our country as "One Nation, Under God in Jesus' Name."
 
Pastor Lou Engle called what happened on Sunday, May 17 a "hinge-of-history moment." Pastor Dutch Sheetz named it a "breakthrough day." He declared a "new beginning for America in the mighty name of Jesus." The name of Jesus Christ was boldly proclaimed at Rededicate 250. The core message was our need for repentant prayer and rededication to God. I believe that God has given us a window of grace. It is our responsibility to accept this season by drawing closer to God in prayer and living our lives in accordance with the instructions of His Word. Perhaps He will respond and guide America back to Him through revival. Let’s pray to that end.

​In honor of the 250th anniversary of our country, the Ambler Choral Society, a non-profit community choir based in Ambler/Maple Glen, PA area, put on a concert last Sunday afternoon. Since my sister is a member of the choir, I got to attend the concert. It was filled with American folk and classic songs such as "Yankee Doodle," Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor," and "America." While they did magnificent renditions of these songs, we all agreed that the “piece de resistance” was their rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." It brought tears to many eyes.
 
The song was written by a woman abolitionist named Julia Ward Howe who lived through the horrors of the Civil War. While in Washington, D. C., Howe heard the Union troops singing "John Brown's Body." Unhappy with what she was hearing, she desired to write new lyrics for the melody. That she did! In her own words. Here is how it happened. "I awoke the next morning in the gray of the early dawn, and to my astonishment found that the wished for lines were arranging themselves in my brain. I lay quite still until the last verse had completed itself in my thoughts, then hastily arose saying to myself: 'I shall lose this if I don't write it down immediately.' I began to scrawl the lines almost without looking...Having completed this, I lay down again and fell asleep, but not before feeling that something of importance had happened to me."
 
The words that Julia penned appeared in the February,1862 issue of the Atlantic Monthly. Packed with Biblical imagery, her song spread quickly through the Union armies. We should note that, ironically, the tune that was used was written by a southerner named William Steffe. Howe's words angered the southerners as she was taking aim at the fight to end slavery. However, so many were inspired by her lyrics that they united in singing the new words to the old tune. The words to five stanzas of the hymn are below:
 
"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored. He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
 
I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps; they have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps. I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps; His day is marching on. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
 
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat. O be swift, my soul, to answer Him; be jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
 
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and Me. As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free! While God is marching on. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
 
He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave. He is wisdom to the mighty; He is succor to the brave. All the world shall be His footstool and the soul of time His slave. Our God is marching on. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.”
 
The Word of God is the truth that keeps marching on. As we pick up the sword of truth, we can impact nations.

​The beginning of creation demonstrates the power of God's Word. "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." (Genesis 1:3) All of creation is an example of how God spoke the word and the earth came into existence. God assures us in the much-quoted verse of Isaiah 55:11 that His word that goes out from His mouth will not return empty but will accomplish what He desires. God has a purpose for every verse in the Bible, and when it is read aloud, there is power in it. That is one of the reasons I am so encouraged by what happened at our nation’s Capital this past week.
 
As part of the celebration of America's 250th birthday, an organization called "Christians Engaged" arranged for nearly five hundred leaders from our country to read the entire Bible aloud from Genesis to Revelation. The initiative is called "America Reads the Bible." It began on April 19 and ran through April 25 with citizens reading Scripture from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D. C. One of the event highlights occurred when our President, Donald Trump, read from 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 via video from the Oval Office.
 
In commemoration of this historic event the President sent out a message on April 17. Here is some of what he said: "...In every generation, through every trial and triumph, God's Word has guided our people and our country to incredible new heights...Today, during our 250th year of American independence, The America Reads the Bible initiative invites all citizens to once again acknowledge our Nation's extraordinary Biblical foundations and give thanks for countless ways in which God has been the sacred source of our unity and national strength. This one-week event, during which leaders in faith, government, business, and entertainment will read every verse and chapter of the Bible, will inspire countless citizens to rediscover the Biblical truths that animated our Republic for two and a half centuries and pray that the Bible will continue to guide us—as individuals, as a people, as a nation—for the next 250 years and beyond...Together we will honor Holy Scripture, renew our faith, usher in a historic resurgence of religion on American shores, and rededicate the United States as One Nation under God.”
 
It is reported that the inspiration for this seven-day reading of the Bible came from the book of Nehemiah where Ezra was instructed to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses a few days after the walls of Jerusalem were complete. "So, on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men and women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law." (Nehemiah 8:2 & 3)
 
Let us remember what is says in Romans 10:17—that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Statistics from the American Bible Society tell us that forty-two percent of Americans have never opened a Bible and that even professing Christians are increasingly Biblically illiterate. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, wants to see Americans "rediscover the ancient paths" because "Those who know their history understand that the Bible played a fundamental role in the founding of this nation...We need to return to that understanding of the role that Scripture plays in guiding and directing us individually, but also collectively as a nation."
 
Think about the impact the reading of the Bible could have on our nation as the power of God's Word went forth! Perhaps there will be conviction of sin, a spirit of repentance, joy in the Lord, and/or revival. As the sound of truth permeated our nation, let us pray in agreement with the Lord that it will accomplish what He desires. Rest assured that this was both a historic and holy moment in our nation.

​Did you know that every year since 2022, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Bible is read on our Capitol steps? According to our state legislator, Stephanie Borowicz, an "amazing group comes and reads the Bible in like seven days...They said every time they read at each State Capitol, crime goes down." Breaking Christian News reports that this year "Pennsylvania state legislators Stephanie Borowicz and Doug Mastriano spearheaded a move that now declares September 12 the 'Day of the Bible' in Pennsylvania."
 
With America's 250th anniversary about to begin, our two legislators introduced in Congress a resolution to recognize this day nationwide. Mastriano says, "We are the rock that dropped into the lake, and I believe we're taking this land back." Last month there was a celebration at Philadelphia's Independence Square. At Congress Hall in this square, the first Congress of the United States met from 1790 to 1800. As our founders met in this location, the Bible was at the center of their planning.
 
It was on September 12 that the Continental Congress approved the printing of the Aitken Bible. This was the first complete English-language Bible printed in America. Borowicz had this to say: "We're restoring the Bible back. And this is, like you said, this is a battle of good versus evil, right? And we don't fight flesh and blood. We fight principalities and rulers of this dark world."
 
Somehow the intentions of our founding fathers concerning the Word of God have become skewed. The many Scriptural quotations that appear in the writings of our founders let us know that they knew and respected the Bible. According to a web site called "Got Questions," "Our government structure, laws, morality, education, and family values were all founded on principles that came directly from the Bible. The Founding Fathers, Presidents, and foreigners visiting a young America identified the key to the nation's success as the biblical influence embraced by its society. When a nation honors God, it develops a respect for all of God's creation. Where there is no honor of God, a society will fail to respect His creation, and people will suffer as a result."
 
We only need to look at the nation of Israel to see the ramifications of their choices concerning following God's Word. When Israel was following God's laws, their society functioned well, but when they turned away from it, their society had trouble.  We can also look at the history of the United States. Our prideful attitude that we know better than God has left us in tumult. Our words and actions do not reflect the goodness of our Lord. We must remember that when we agree with the kingdom of darkness, we give the demonic realm permission to operate in our lives. This results in chaos and destruction. When we agree with the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Light, we empower the Lord and invite Him to impact our nation.
 
Mastriano points out that "The Word of God helped make a difference in the founding of our nation." He admonishes us: "Study it, read it to your children at night, read a Psalm a day, do something with it, because our foundation, our virtue, our nation, our republic can only be sustained with it." Hebrews 4:12 tells us about the power of the Word of God. "The Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Let us pray that the resolution introduced in our Congress will pass and that Pennsylvania will be a leader in making the Bible a priority in our daily lives again.

​Our founding fathers knew that God was orchestrating the destiny of America. The plans they made for our future were heavily influenced by this truth. On July 4, 2025, our president started a celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation which will occur on July 4, 2026. It is common, as we come to a crossroad, to look back in history and forward in time. We must learn from our past and plan for our future.
 
I hope that we can agree that our Founders were deeply influenced by Judeo-Christian principles. They recognized that God's hand was with our fledgling nation to protect and encourage us. They overcame impossible odds only by the help of God. The liberties that we have clearly come from the God of the Bible. On July 4, 1776, our nation declared through its leaders that it would no longer be a colony of England, but an independent nation. Leading citizens, at their own peril, signed the Declaration of Independence. Fifty-six members of the Continental Congress willingly placed their signatures on this document giving Britain notice that they would be the leaders of an independent country. The last sentence of the Declaration of Independence reads, "...for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
 
In our 249 years of living out what some called "The Holy Experiment," we have had a multitude of challenges and struggles. Some of these have made us forget our "high calling" to take the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. Others intentionally embrace a divisive spirit and worship false idols. Rifts between people groups in our country have tested the rule of law and made some forget the importance of personal responsibility and the dignity of an individual. The prophet Micah gives us direction through the words in Chapter 6, Verse 8 of his book. "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." 
 
On July 4, 1926, Calvin Coolidge spoke in Philadelphia, PA, to acknowledge the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He said, "If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the Founders who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshiped."
 
The words that President Coolidge spoke in 1926 bear repeating. We must remain true to the principles upon which our nation was founded. As President Trump began to celebrate the anniversary of our country, he reminded us that "We are one nation under God." The milestone anniversary that is coming upon us could be an opportunity for a national reset. It is a reminder of the importance of our faith in God and that none of the blessings we have received can be maintained without thankfulness to Him. Our responsibility is to educate the next generation about our founding and the sacrifices that were made to secure our freedoms. We must reflect on our nation’s freedoms and give thanks to God for our Judeo-Christian roots and all the blessings that He has poured upon us. Let us remember what we are told in Psalm 33:12.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." Amen!

The first permanent American settlement began in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. It also started the British rule over the colonies which was unfair in that Americans were taxed without representation in the British Parliament. This, along with persecution, oppression, and the desire for true freedom drove the colonist, against all odds, to consider a war against the British. The "straw that broke the camel's back" was when the British attempted to disarm the Americans. Battles were fought at Lexington and Concord in April of 1775, and ignited the war. Patriot militias were added to the Continental Army and George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief by the Second Continental Congress two months later. The Declaration of Independence came before the Congress on July 2, 1776, and was ratified on July 4, 1776. The men who put their names on the document risked losing everything if the British won the American Revolution. I join with the thought that God directed the events leading to the birth of America, and our early leaders confirm this. The war officially ended in September 1783, when the Treaty of Paris was signed. The Treaty begins: "In the name of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity. It having pleased the Divine Providence..." The Declaration of Independence begins with the following statement:  "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." When the United States became a sovereign and independent nation, it had the opportunity to write its own laws. A new Constitution was written in 1787, uniting the states as a single nation.
 
A web site called "RenewaNation" explains their mission:  It is "to inspire and equip the family, church, and school to give millions of children a Biblical Worldview."  One of their posts is called "The Providence of God in American History." In it they remind us of an address that George Bancroft gave to the United States Congress in 1866. (George Bancroft is known as the "Father of American history" as he is an American historian who studied and wrote about the origins and development of the United States.) "He reflected a predominant philosophy to the leaders of the new nation." He said, "That God rules in the affairs of men is as certain as any truth of physical science." George Washington, upon reviewing the events of the Revolutionary War wrote, "The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all of this, that He must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligation."

When the framers of the Constitution wrote their document, they made it clear that this was a miracle of God. "The Father of the Constitution, James Madison said, 'It is impossible to conceive the degree of concord which ultimately prevailed, as less than a miracle.'" Benjamin Franklin wrote: "Our General Convention...when it formed the new Federal Constitution was...influenced, guided, and governed by that omnipotent and beneficial Ruler in whom all...live, and move, and have their being." When he called the Constitutional Convention to prayer in the summer of 1787, he said:  "That God governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' (Psalm 127:1) I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."

As the Founders of our nation acknowledge God and gave Him thanks, should we not continue to do so? RenewaNation writes, "We have advanced due to His goodness and purposes, not our wisdom and abilities. If we reject Him and fail to rely upon Him, this great experiment in liberty will become like the ruins of Babel. Let us, therefore, follow the advice of the Continental Congress and famous Declaration signatory, John Hancock: 'Let us humbly commit our righteous cause to the great Lord of the Universe...Let us joyfully leave our concerns in the hands of Him who raises up and puts down the empires and kingdoms of the earth as He pleases.’" We must be in prayer for our nation and stand on the truths that have been given to us in the Bible. This is our only way to save the Godly foundations of our nation.

Memorial Day, held the last Monday in May, is meant to be a time to honor the deceased who served our country. It was originally known as Decoration Day and was put in place in the years following the Civil War. In 1971 it became an official federal holiday. Parades, including marching bands and veterans’ organizations, take place in towns throughout the United States. The tradition of honoring those who have fallen in battle dates to the ancient Greeks and Romans when they decorated the graves of the soldiers with flowers—hence Decoration Day. One tradition is that the American flag be hung at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day, then raised to the top of the staff.
 
Looking back to the Civil war era, the outlook for the Union soldiers was dark. President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the citizens of our nation to humble themselves before God and repent. In part, the proclamation said this: "...It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history that those nations only are blessed when God is the Lord...It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."
 
Oh, that we would have a president who would lead us in this kind of prayer of humility and repentance today! Our country is in shambles, and the only light in the darkness comes from Bible-believing, compassionate, and God-fearing individuals. To save our country, we must be on our knees before our Holy God. Sadly, I think that Lincoln would have been run out of town today had he made the proclamation he did during the Civil War. He and the citizens of our country knew that America was formed as a land without religious persecution. The Preamble to our Constitution lays out other goals: "To form a more perfect union, to establish justice, to ensure domestic tranquility, to provide for common defense, to promote the general welfare, and to secure the blessings of liberty." While God is not mentioned in the Constitution, He is included in the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Alliance, and in U.S. currency.
 
Eddie Hyatt's book, America's Revival Heritage, explains the Puritan's vision for a Christian Commonwealth. He writes, "They believed that God had created society as a unified whole to reflect His glory. Church and state, the individual and the public—These were all related spheres and all were to function under the Lordship of Christ..." Eddie explains that the statements the Puritans wrote "always gave recognition to God and prioritized the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the reason for their existence...Their vision was to become that 'shining light' and 'city on a hill' of which Jesus had spoken in Matthew 5:14. (Pages 13-15)
 
We have come a far way from the day of Abraham Lincoln when people honored their covenant with God and were not fearful of praying publicly. As Memorial Day is upon us, let us remember not only our fallen soldiers, but the reasons they gave their lives for our country. We have a covenant with God, and He gives us the solution to our dilemma of ungodly belief and behavior. "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins, and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

​How blessed we are to have founding Fathers whose prayers helped establish America. Since our President’s Day celebration just passed, I thought it would be fitting to honor our first president, George Washington. Breaking Christian News did so by quoting from Eddie Hyatt's book, 1726:  The Year that Defined America. Hyatt is an historian, Bible teacher, and revivalist who has tracked America's leaders and recorded their sayings as they pertain to God and the Bible. He floats the theory that the only reason the American troops were able to defeat the British was because of prayer. Washington was given a seemingly impossible task to challenge the British militia with his band of rag-tag soldiers. In his book, Hyatt says "Washington knew his only hope lay in a profound conviction in the hearts and daily actions of all his men that what they did, they did for God, and under God's protection." (Hyatt, pg. 114)
 
The American soldiers were united around the altar of prayer daily. In fact, Washington issued an order stating that each day would begin with prayer led by the officers. Again, I quote Hyatt:  "Every soldier was to observe a punctual attendance of Divine services, to implore the blessing of Heaven upon the means for our safety and public defense." Apparently, Washington was insistent that every soldier attend daily prayer but also, they were forbidden the following:  profanity, swearing, gambling, and drunkenness. His rational for this is written about by Hyatt:  "We can have little hope of the blessing of Heaven on our arms if we insult Him by our impiety and folly. Every officer and man will endeavor so as to live and act as becomes a Christian soldier." 
 
When Washington and his men had their long, cold, tiring winter at Valley Forge, they were visited by Rev. Henry Muhlenberg, the pastor of a nearby Lutheran Church. Muhlenberg noted that Washington "admonished" his men "to fear God." He goes on:  "This gentleman does not belong to the so-called world of society, for he respects God's Word, believes in the atonement through Christ, and bears himself in humility and gentleness. It appears that the Lord God has singularly, yea marvelously, preserved him from harm in the midst of countless peril...and hath hitherto graciously held him in His hand as His chosen vessel." (Hyatt, pg. 115)
 
Visitors to Washington's camps confirmed that he made a habit of going into the woods for a time of prayer with the Almighty. It would be good for us to remember that not only did Washington and his troops pray, but when the Continental Congress opened, each of their sessions started with prayer. In addition, proclamations for national days of repentance, and prayer, and fasting were regularly issued. It is God alone who brought victory to the American Troops and brought about the surrender of British General Cornwallis on October 19, 1783.
 
What an example we have to follow through George Washington! How has America fallen so far from the vision of our founding fathers? There are times, when I pray for others, that I point out the following:  "You can tell the greatness of the call on their lives by the fierceness of the attack on them." This is true of America, and that God placed a call on our nation to be an example to all the world of what a godly nation should look like. Because of this call, the forces of darkness have targeted us for destruction, and waged a campaign to destroy us. We are in a battle for the very call on our lives. This battle can only be won as we return to God's call on our nation and our godly foundations. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 admonishes us, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." If George Washington won the Revolutionary War through prayer, the Christian community can win the war against the darkness and be reestablished as a saved nation. Let us keep praying for our nation, as prayer is the weapon of our warfare that will transform the world.

July 4, 1776, 247 years ago, our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence with two main objectives:  (1) A declaration of independence from Great Britain, and (2) a declaration of dependence upon Almighty God. Its writers used the Bible as their example. I wonder how they would feel about the chaos that has ensued in our country. It seems we have endless battles between Christians and non-Christians whose opinions are opposite when it comes to the evidence of a Creator and creation. Moral absolutes are being challenged by those who say there is no such thing. Yet, on the day of America's birth a bell was rung that had a Scripture inscribed on it from Leviticus 25:10. "Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof." That bell remains as a testimony to the foundation from which our nation was established--The Bible.
 
Our 30th president, Calvin Coolidge (who was born on July 4, 1872), said it well when he looked into the future of our nation. "The foundation of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country." Sadly, I see these words beginning to bear fruit. Let us not forget that the Bible was the foundational book used in our schools at the dawning of America. Those of us who hold to the truths upon which our country was established must come into agreement with our forefathers. Dutch Sheets, in a post written on June 22 entitled "God Needs Our Agreement," confirms this. He reminded us of the importance of agreeing with previous generations. 
 
Dutch shared interesting information about the foundations of our schools. He wrote, "One hundred six of America's first one hundred eight colleges and Universities were founded on the Christian faith. Students at Harvard and Yale were required to read Scriptures twice daily. Harvard's founders stated: 'All knowledge without Christ is vain.' Its motto was 'For Christ and The Church.' Yale's founders stated that 'Every student shall consider the main end of his study is to know God in Jesus Christ...' Princeton's motto was 'Under God's Power She Flourishes.'...Noah Webster, who published the first American Dictionary of the English language in 1828 said, 'Education is useless without the Bible.'...Webster also said, 'The principles of genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations, are to be drawn from the Bible and sustained by its authority. The man, therefore, who weakens or destroys the divine authority of that book may be accessory to all the public disorders which society is doomed to suffer.'" 
 
There is a remnant of people in the United State who understands and believes in the foundational truths upon which our nation was established and on the precepts and commandments that are the underpinning of our Constitution. We must declare these truths in agreement with the generations that came before us. We cannot allow the loud voices of descension to override truth. The future of our nation depends upon us. In a post from June 21, Dutch Sheets reminded us of the powerful hymn written by Martin Luther titled, "A Mighty Fortress is our God." I would like to highlight a line from the third verse. "And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed HIs truth to triumph through us..." Triumph occurs through our declaration of truth. We must take every opportunity God gives us to make truth known. We can take heart from the words of Scripture:  "Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him." (Proverbs 30:5)